In addition to Ogilvy & Mather, which is the two-year incumbent of MAS’ entire creative business, it is believed that Milk+Co, JWT, Bozell and Lowe have also been invited to take part. MAS communications senior GM Indira Nair confirmed the development, but noted that the pitch held no implications for the airline’s retained agencies, Ogilvy and MindShare.
"Ogilvy and Mindshare have been working with Malaysia Airlines for the past two years, and they continue to do so,” said Nair. “At the same time, we have been repeatedly approached by agencies who indicate an interest in working with us. We currently have a project which is in the planning stages and we felt this would be an opportunity to open up this particular project to a few interested agencies. Timelines for this project are extremely tight and for this reason, we have kept it to a few agencies.”
MAS recently announced a 65 per cent decline in its net profit for the second quarter of 2008, compared with the same period one year earlier, because of soaring fuel costs. Net profit fell to RM 40 million (US$12 million) in the quarter, despite an eight per cent rise in revenue to RM 3.78 billion. The airline posted a net profit of RM 160 million ($48 million) in the first half of the year.
